Finals week prep: The best way to handle an essay final

On an essay test, the rules change completely relative to a multiple choice test.

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The objective here is to download every possible thing in your brain related to the subject onto the piece of paper. No points are awarded for impressive sentence structure (unless it’s an English class). Don’t go out of your way to write bad sentences. Just get the information onto the page as orderly as you can. And, unless you are told differently, on an essay test, you get no extra points for being brief and “to the point.”

In grading an essay test, a professor is looking for your answer to provide specific information. For each “nugget” she finds, you get points. Key vocabulary words and catch phrases will be critical to you. Use them wherever and whenever you can work them in.

When grading 400 handwritten tests, the professor (or her assistant) can get tired. In that case, the vocabulary words and catch phrases can add many valuable points to your test score.

Obviously, the essay test favors the individual with a full mind and a fast pen. Don’t waste time, BUT, think through your answer before putting pen to paper. Take the time to organize your thoughts and jot down a few notes. THEN, put your head down and don’t stop writing until the bell rings and the class is over.

One almost painfully obvious point related to this is that your writing must be legible. The mood of any person grading literally hundreds of tests can go sour in a hurry when she has to spend extra time deciphering your “scribbling.”

If you don’t understand a question on a test, ask the professor to rephrase it for you. You won’t be able to do this in every situation, and, some professors won’t answer a question during a test. In other situations, the Teacher’s Assistant (TA) is giving the test for the professor and may or may not be able to help. But, you’ve got nothing to lose by asking, and in many cases it will be the difference between getting the answer right or wrong.

An additional reason to ask the question is that professors will often inadvertently give you clues to the correct answer in attempting to clarify the question for you.

Another key point on test taking – Don’t cheat. I know I sound like I’m preaching again, but I’ve seen people try it in college and get caught. It’s ugly. Even if cheat sheets were your bread and butter in high school, let me bluntly tell you that the stakes here are significantly higher, so you’ll need to change your approach.

If you’re caught, in a best-case scenario you’ll get a zero for the test or may get kicked out of the class. The F will go onto your transcripts and will seriously damage your GPA. And, you’re probably going to have to explain it to someone (like a prospective employer – remember the comments on ethics) somewhere down the line. If you’re less fortunate, you’ll be put on probation or kicked out of school.

Said another way, colleges take cheating SERIOUSLY. If you get caught, you’re fried. It’s just not worth it. I could also spend paragraphs on the fact that even if you don’t get caught, it’s wrong. But, I’m hoping you get that that I have adequately spelled out the potential consequences of “crossing the line” and, therefore, I have adequately dissuaded you!

One final thought on test-taking. You may be able to pick up some additional points after the test if you’ve already developed a strong relationship with your professor.

Go see her and politely talk to her about any points of disagreement you have on how she graded your test. If you thought a multiple-choice question had two correct answers, make your case as to why your answer was also correct. Make the case respectfully, but make sure she understands your thought process and why you believe you deserve the credit.

If you think she misunderstood your essay answer, it is definitely worth a discussion. Be prepared, do it professionally and with a cool head, and sometimes you can pick up some critical points – if you have laid the groundwork beforehand and have a good relationship with her.
And remember, there’s no need to PANIC about test-taking if you’re PROPERLY PREPARED.